Tuesday, 8 May 2007

SPARROW CASTLE FARM - DECEMBER 2006

Sparrow Castle Farm sits at the corner of The Shottendane Road and Manston Road in Birchington and has become the rendevous for Trees for Thanet with the 'yard' providing easy parking space.

In November 2006, Trees for Thanet was approached by Ursuline College Science Department for help. A 'schools pack' of 30 very small trees (15cm plants in a small compost plug) had been sent to them by The Tree Council and a place to plant them was needed. At Sparrow Castle Farm, Quex Park Estates had already planted 5 limes and it was felt that a thicker copse of trees would set the yard off quite nicely.

On Wednesday 13th December 2006, a teacher and 2 BTEC students arrived after lunch to be instructed in planting and by the end of the afternoon, 30 small trees( 10 Silver Birch, 10 Hazel and 10 Rowan) had been planted. Trees for Thanet then finished off by putting out tubex tree shelters and mulch sheet around each young tree. The photograph shows the planting site looking east along Shottendane Road towards Two Chimneys Caravan Site in the first week of May 2007. Trees for Thanet had strimmed the area earlier to prevent high growing grass and nettles from shading the small trees despite the mulch sheet squares! It will be interesting to see how such small plants progress and when they will grow out of their tubex shelters!